New International Version
Colossians 3:21
21Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
Colossians 3:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.
Context of Colossians 3:21
19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. 22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
Read all of Colossians 3Colossians 3:21 word by word
Οἱ πατέρες, μὴ ἐρεθίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν, ἵνα μὴ ἀθυμῶσιν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Colossians 3:21
- Psalms 103:13As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
- Proverbs 3:12because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
- Proverbs 4:1Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
- Ephesians 6:4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,
- Hebrews 12:5And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
Commentaries on Colossians 3:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Fathers, provoke not - See the notes on Ephesians 6:4.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Fathers, provoke not - Notes, Ephesians 6:4. Lest they be discouraged - Lest, by your continually finding fault with them, they should lose all courage, and despair of ever pleasing you. There is much sound sense and practical wisdom in this observation of the apostle. Children should not be flattered, but they should be encouraged. They should not be so praised as to make them vain and proud, but they should be commended when they do well. The desire…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 The epistles most taken up in displaying the glory of the Divine grace, and magnifying the Lord Jesus, are the most particular in pressing the duties of the Christian life. We must never separate the privileges and duties of the gospel. Submission is the duty of wives. But it is submission, not to a severe lord or stern tyrant, but to her own husband, who is engaged to affectionate duty. And husbands must love their wives with tender and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-25This series of teachings is called a household code. Paul instructs wives (3:18), husbands (3:19), children (3:20), fathers (3:21), slaves (3:22–25), and masters (4:1). Similar codes are found in Greco-Roman writings and other parts of the New Testament (see Ephesians 5:22–6:9; 1 Peter 2:18–3:7).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. (Ep 6:4.) It is a different Greek verb, therefore translate here, "irritate not." By perpetual fault-finding "children" are "discouraged" or "disheartened." A broken-down spirit is fatal to youth [Bengel].Read the comment
Topics related to Colossians 3:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Colossians 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries